Man Lila

A divine play (lila) between Krishna and
his devotees (bhakta). In this lila, one of
Krishna’s female companions feigns
wounded pride (man), usually because
he makes some sort of error, such as
calling her by another woman’s name.
For some time she pretends to be angry,
but is eventually won over by his charm
and undivided attention. This motif
of a woman feigning anger—to make
her lover flatter and fawn over her,
and to sweeten the joy of the eventual
reconciliation—has a venerable history
in Sanskrit poetry. In modern times,
this lila is often presented in devotional
theatrical presentations, which are
themselves known as lilas (“plays”),
since their function is to reveal the work
of the divine.